Book Review: David H. Bates' "Lincoln in the Telegraph Office"
|
|
Date Published: January 27, 2025
|
“Lincoln visited the telegraph office morning, afternoon and evening to get the latest news from the front, and sometimes would stay all night. … He relished these visits as much as did the cipher operators, for there he was away from the cares and worries of the White House. … There is not a dull chapter in the book. … It deserves a wide sale and appreciation.”
"A Lincoln Book," The New York Times, December 1907
A Review of “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office” by David Homer Bates
- Reviews of the Day: 1907–08
- Selected Insights from “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office”
- This Author’s Thoughts on “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office”
Reviews of the Day: 1907–08
“Lincoln in the Telegraph Office” was released in 1907. Immediately below is a picture, taken in 1907, of those who staffed this department, which includes David Homer Bates, the author of this work.
This is a high-quality, black-and-white picture of the “nucleus” of the Civil War War Department Telegraph Office taken in 1907—long after the end of the Civil War and after their active service days. Pictured are Charles Almerin Tinker, Thomas Thompson Eckert, Albert Brown Chandler, and, the author of this book, David Homer Bates.
Here are a few of the book reviews found in the newspapers from that timeframe:
|
On September 19, 1908, The Indianapolis News wrote in the newspaper’s “Review of Latest Books” that “ ‘Lincoln in the Telegraph Office’ differs from most of the Lincoln books … it tells what other writers have not … it is not a compilation of others’ stories. … The chapter, ‘Lincoln in Every Day Humor’ is delicious. …
“One could only wish that the title better stated the author’s work, for Lincoln is not uniformly and always the central figure in it – one wishes he were.” On December 12, 1907, The New York Times wrote in its review of “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office” entitled “A Lincoln Book” that “credit is due Mr. David Homer Bates for writing so valuable and so eminently readable historical work. … Mr. Bates was manager of the War Department Telegraph office. … During this time he came in almost daily contact with the President … seeing him under trying circumstances could hardly have been better.
“Lincoln visited the telegraph office morning, afternoon and evening to get the latest news from the front, and sometimes would stay all night. … He relished these visits as much as did the cipher operators, for there he was away from the cares and worries of the White House. … “There is not a dull chapter in the book. … It deserves a wide sale and appreciation.” |
This is an 1865 portrait of David Bates, who was an operator in the United States Military Telegraph Corps during the Civil War and was the author of “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office.”
|
Image of spine and front covers of "Lincoln in the Telegraph Office."
|
On November 2, 1907, The St. Louis Globe Democrat in “Glimpses of the Newest Books” wrote in its book review that the importance of the telegraph office is made known when “Mr. Bates recalls the fact that in the Civil War the Morse telegraph was for the first time employed to direct widely separated armies and move them in unison. Stanton, the great Secretary of War, called this organization his ‘right arm.’ …
“This book contains some materials which have been made public in other forms, but there is much that is new … especially in how the writer presents Lincoln with an observing mind already well furnished with knowledge and facts.” On February 8, 1908, The Western Newspaper Union wrote in its book review of “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office” that “there were many angles in Lincoln’s character. That which Lincoln showed in the telegraph office was the personal, homely side as distinguished from the business, political or literary side.
|
“The cipher operators saw Lincoln at close range and in his most anxious hours, amid the excitement of great military movements, with the attending horrors: the clash of arms, the carnage of the battlefield, the groans of the dying and tears of loved one. … We also meet Lincoln in the calmer but no less trying hours of patient waiting for the development of slow, wide-reaching plans for the preservation of the union.”
Selected Insights from “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office”
|
In the Introduction to “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office,” the author, David Homer Bates, establishes why this book is different from so many of the other books about Abraham Lincoln. He wrote:
“During the last four years of Lincoln’s national career, even until the day before its tragic ending, the writer was fortunate in being able to see him and talk with him daily, and usually several times a day; for he visited the War Department telegraph office morning, afternoon, and evening, to receive the latest news from the armies at the front. “His tall, homely form could be seen crossing the well-shaded lawn between the White House and the War Department day after day with unvaried regularity. … Outside the members of his cabinet and his private secretaries, none were brought into closer or more confidential relations with Lincoln than the cipher-operators.” Here are a few of David Bates’ insights into Abe Lincoln. |
|
- The Relationship Between Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of War Stanton
“Lincoln’s heart was greater than his head, while Stanton’s head was greater than his heart. This characterization, though general, contains a great deal of truth. … However, during the three and a quarter years of their close official relations the two men worked in almost entire harmony.
“There never appeared, to the writer’s observation, any real conflict between them. It suited both to treat the public each in his own characteristic way, and, in any case, when the pinch came, each knew how far to yield to the other without sacrifice of prerogative.”
“There never appeared, to the writer’s observation, any real conflict between them. It suited both to treat the public each in his own characteristic way, and, in any case, when the pinch came, each knew how far to yield to the other without sacrifice of prerogative.”
- The Cipher-Operators First Impressions of Abraham Lincoln
“We had heard of him as “Old Abe the rail-splitter,” and he seemed to us uncouth and awkward, and he did not conform to our ideas of what a president should be; while General Scott, with his gold epaulets, sash, and sword, made a magnificent presence. ... But afterward, as I saw Lincoln almost daily, often for hours at a time, I soon forgot his awkward appearance, and came to think of him as a very attractive and, indeed, lovable person.”
- The Cipher-Operators Saw an “Angle” of Abraham Lincoln Few Knew
“There were many angles in Lincoln’s character. That which he showed in the telegraph office was the personal, homely side as distinguished from the business, political, or literary side. ... The cipher-operators saw him at close range, and in his most anxious hours, amid the excitement of great military movements, with their attendant horrors: the clash of arms, the carnage of the battle-field, the groans of the dying and the tears of loved ones. We also met him in the calmer but no less trying hours of patient waiting for the slow development of wide-reaching plans for the preservation of the Union.”
This Author’s Thoughts on “Lincoln in the Telegraph Office”
Layout of the War Department’s telegraph office noting where President Lincoln sat.
|
One of the reviews mentioned that this book is well-illustrated.
Of course, most of the illustrations are of members of the department, or reproductions of ciphers or telegram facsimiles sent from the telegraph office. I believe that most of these illustrations would be of little interest to most readers … but the frontispiece of the book is a wonderful illustration of President Lincoln working on the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation. Inside the book is also an illustration of the layout of the telegraph office showing where Abraham Lincoln sat and wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. |
These images are included in this review with an excerpt from the book describing the Chief Executive’s writing style when he sat at the desk.
|
”It was his custom when writing a note or making a memorandum, as the cipher operators observed, to take his pen or pencil in hand, smooth out the sheet of paper carefully and write slowly and deliberately, stopping at times in thoughtful mood to look out of the window for a moment or two, and then resuming his writing. …
“One operator noting the intensity of his work stated that: ‘I became much interested in the matter and was impressed with the idea that he was engaged upon something of great importance, but did not know what it was until he had finished the document and then for the first time he told me that he had been writing an order giving freedom to the slaves in the South, for the purpose of hastening the end of the war.
|
Illustration of President Abraham Lincoln writing the first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation.
|
This is a 1907 portrait of David Bates, author of “Lincoln in the Telegraph office.”
|
“ ‘He said he had been able to work at my desk more quietly and command his thoughts better than at the White House, where he was frequently interrupted.’ ”
One excerpt helped me with my writer's complex because I had always thought that Lincoln had easily written his greatest words … It turns out this isn’t so. He worked and possibly struggled with the effort to put down on paper what so many now learn in school: “When he came to the office on the fallowing day he asked for the [Emancipation Proclamation] papers, and I unlocked my desk and handed them to him and he again sat down to write. He did this almost every day for several weeks, always handing me what he had written when ready to leave the office each day. ”Sometimes he would not write more than a line or two, and once I observed that he had put question marks on the margin of what he had written. He would read over each day all the matter he had previously written and revise it, studying carefully each sentence.” It seems President Lincoln pondered, thought, twisted and turned his words until it met his satisfaction, and sometimes it reads like this took many weeks of effort. |
Although I found this work interesting and it contains some tidbits of great insight into Abraham Lincoln, it is really only for those who have not read other works about this great President or, as I did, just want to continually expand their knowledge about this man. This is why I acquired, read and reviewed this book.
|
It did provide what I was looking for: new insights into an Abraham Lincoln in a more relaxed environment than the White House with observations of those who were not members of his close family or friends. I wish there were more, but what was there did satisfy—at least partially—what I was looking for and anticipating.
If you are new to Abraham Lincoln and desire a place to start, this author would recommend starting with one of the works of Ida M. Tarbell, who one newspaper described in 1907 as “Lincoln’s greatest living biographer.” Just read and select the sidebar provided to see a selection of her works on this President—one of our greatest … and, yet, most humble. He is a model more of our Twenty-first Century leaders should study and follow. Cheers, - Peter E. |
This author agrees with this passage excerpted from this article: “Ms. Tarbell is acknowledged by many as Lincoln’s greatest living biographer.”
|